By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – The Missouri House has passed the final version of the K-12 state budget for Fiscal Year 2009.
The bill authorizes $5.3 billion to be spent on elementary and secondary public schools in Missouri, which is nearly $130 million more than what is in this year's budget.
State Representative Joe Aull (D, Marshall) is a former school superintendent, principal and teacher. He says it's still not enough.
"When we look at our average teacher salary in the state, and we find out that we rank 42nd out of 50 states, to me that's a great indication that we are not fully funding education," Aull said.
But Republicans argued that they've increased K-12 funding by over a billion dollars in recent years, and that voting "no" would be disingenuous.
Still, the 88 to 62 final vote broke down along party lines.
House Budget Chairman Allen Icet (R, Wildwood) says the proposed budget goes above and beyond in fully funding education for Missouri's children.
"The lawsuit that was filed against the state by about half the school districts, in the Attorney General's defense, I believe even the Attorney General admitted that the funding formula is adequate," Icet said.
The K-12 budget bill now goes to the State Senate.